Brothers Three
by TheHazardsOfLove13
Summary: The untold story of the Peverell brothers, the original owners of the Deathly Hallows, told through many different viewpoints.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1 Antioch

Antioch waited for his brothers by the river. They were late again, as per usual. Cadmus was probably talking to Miranda, his fiancee, and Ignotus.. Well, Antioch never knew what he was doing. Ignotus was always the shy one, the one that didn't really trust anyone and could hide better than anyone in their village. Sometimes, he'd be gone for days and then come back without warning, and when Antioch or Cadmus asked him where he'd been he would just smile and retreat to his favorite hiding place, inside himself. However, the trouble really started when they got to school.

Ignotus just didn't fit in. The teachers were all a little wary of this strange boy, and the students were vicious. He would always come home bleeding or with his schoolbooks missing, or the bruises of insults that can't be seen on the skin apparent in his eyes. But he never cried, Antioch thought, no matter what happened to him, my brother, he would never show it. Ignotus just retreated deeper and deeper inside his soul and made dreams his reality and reality a dream.

Of course, the brothers had tried to make things better. On days when his schoolmates were being especially malicious, Cadmus would always come to his room laughing and tell him a story about magic and the wizards of old, before they had to hide away. Sometimes, all three of them would join together and create new spells under the cover of night, where there'd be no watching eyes of the non-magical folk that could have them killed if they were caught. Normally, it was just Ignotus and Cadmus though. Cadmus, the social one, the one who got along with everyone, and was the only one that could get through to their brother. Whenever Antioch tried, he was just met with a wall of indifference and the glance of someone who's just been woken from an especially pleasant dream.

Antioch helped Ignotus in his own way, through combat. He would always stand up for his brother against those who hurt him, but every day he hated himself and his situation, for hitting children younger than him to stop them taunting his brother and seeing the fear in their eyes, fear of him, who just wanted to protect his brother. He hated that before Ignotus came, he was popular, the one the girls smiled at and the boys laughed with, and then he just became known as the brother who beats up kids years younger than him. Soon, the children in his own class, who had once been his friends started mocking him as well. After that, he fought them too and just became known as the person who would fight anyone and everyone. Of course, Antioch thought bitterly, Cadmus never stood up for me, never helped Ignotus during the times of need, only comforted him afterwards when the damage had already been done. He did nothing that would sully his perfect reputation. Now, it was Cadmus that had the beauty of the town betrothed to him, Cadmus that had the whole town as his admirers, Cadmus who had their brother's love, while he, Antioch, the one that had sacrificed everything for Ignotus, was barely dignified with a glance.

Cadmus walked up to the river. He was tall, with fair-hair that shone like the stars whenever it was caught in the light, and an ever-present smile and a laugh. Antioch compared Cadmus' looks to his own dull brown hair, more the color of mud then anything that would inspire poets to praise, and his brother's permanent smile to his own face that seemed to stay sullen. Even in this, I am beaten, he thought before greeting his brother warmly. Ignotus clung to Cadmus' side, his feathers of hair hanging down on his face, and his bird-like frame shivering with the cold of the day. All three Peverells had the exact same emerald green eyes.

"Looking at the river?", Cadmus asked, "Don't worry, we'll get across someday." Then the brother's three watched the setting sun as it fell down towards the impassable river. All three brothers Ignotus with his eye firmly fixed inward, Cadmus with his perpetual smile, and Antioch with his boiling anger, all had the same thought. There's a new life across this river, and we are going to find it.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2 Death

Of all the towns, of all the countries, of all the worlds his duty called him to, Death watched Little Bartholdsby the best. The town was small and had just enough fragile human beings to keep him and Ascella entertained. Best of all, the town was bordered on one side by the steep, icy mountains, and on the other by the raging river that he himself had created. For the residents of Little Bartholdsby, the village was the only home they would ever know and Death liked to keep it that way.

Every year there were the few who tried to cross the river to escape the town, but they never succeeded, and Death saw them in his professional capacity. Shaking his head, more in sorrow than in anger, that they would ever want to leave his perfect town, he cut their souls from their bodies and sent them on into the next world. Sometimes he wondered where they went, the people he sent onwards. Were they satisfied in the next world? Did they see their loved ones again? Was there even a next world?

Over the centuries, Death collected questions and he collected eyes, or rather the looks in them. The righteous anger of the martyrs as they gave themselves up for a cause that would die with them or move on, untroubled, without them. The last sad looks of the old and sick, sad not for themselves, but for the tears they would cause in those left behind. And through the centuries Death watched. He watched the rise of a strange species of creature that fascinated him and he watched them, and most of all, he watched Little Bartholdsby, the very town in which the Peverells lived.

Death laughed ironically when he heard the eldest Peverell, talking to himself about justice. There is no justice, Death thought, there is only me. Death found himself wondering what the look in Antioch's eyes would be when he left the earth for the mysterious other place.

"Watching the transients again?", mocked Ascella as she drew up beside him. Ascella was tall, unnaturally so, as though she had been stretched but her most striking feature was her beautiful, pale skin with the ink-black markings that shifted and changed with the world. Death stared at her as they became a slender wand of elder, a commonplace stone with the shadows of those lost behind it, a shimmering cloak, before resolving in a strange symbol. "Come with me and I'll show you something much more fascinating than their fleeting lives", she offered to Death.

Death followed her as they went to the vast window that overlooked the worlds he watched over. "This little village of yours will eventually end, you know", she taunted him looking out on the vast sea of stars, "And so will this world." "All things must end", replied Death, "That is the nature of existence." "One day all these worlds will end, and there will be no chaos to cause, no souls to take and we will be alone in a dark unchanging universe." "And then?", Death asked her as a smile spread across her face revealing the pointed teeth of a nightmare. "And then, my love, you will be mine forever."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3 Miranda

"Cadmus, you don't know how much I love you", whispered Miranda as he kissed her. And it was true. Her love for Cadmus was all consuming, almost an obsession. It was strange, really, she had never noticed him before, and then he asked her out to dinner and suddenly she realized how truly wonderful he was. After that his shining hair and always smiling features occupied her every thought and she was never satisfied unless she was in his embrace. When he had proposed to her, her heart seemed to burst in an explosion of joy and she accepted before he could even finish the sentence.

She passionately kissed him back, his lips on hers forming an explosion of feeling that amplified her desire for him. He broke away from the kiss and she looked at him, confused. "I have to be going home", he explained lovingly. "I will be here tomorrow", she promised, "oh, the hours will pass like years if I am not with you." "The same is true for me, my sweet untouched Miranda", Cadmus whispered before departing. Miranda watched him leave, tears almost coming to her eyes as she bid goodbye to the one she loved above all else. She knew that she would be his forever, and only hoped that he would always be hers.

She walked home, still thinking about Cadmus and of their upcoming marriage in the spring. Miranda remembered when she had first told her father about Cadmus' love for her and her love for him. He didn't take it well. "Why do you wish to marry Cadmus Peverell of all people? He's not rich, his family is a mess, and the boy's barely even good-looking." "Isn't humility a virtue?", she had said, "Then my affections are most humble, for I have no ambition to see a goodlier man" But still her father had remained obstinate, until Cadmus had visited her house. Then his derogatory words for him had changed to words of praise, and he declared that in all this town, no, in all the world, there was no better match for his daughter.

Miranda remembered that day as the day when her last worry was removed and all the days since had passed in utter bliss and a nonstop desire to see Cadmus, to feel his lips on hers, and to hear words of love fall from those lips. No, she decided, I can't wait for tomorrow. I have to see him now.

She changed her course and headed away from the rich, decadent street she lived on, to the worn down cottage of the Peverell's. Miranda felt glad that she would soon be able to rescue Cadmus from this poverty and give him his rightful place in comfort and luxury at her side.

She walked into the house where Antioch was attempting to talk to his brother, Ignotus, who seemed unresponsive. "Where's Cadmus?", she tentatively asked. "Upstairs", Antioch said tersely, gesturing towards the stairwell. Then his sullen look changed to one of astonishment as Ignotus got up, walked over to her, and placed his palm on her forehead. "See better, Miranda", he whispered and then sat back down on the floor. Miranda hurriedly ran up the stairs. Cadmus was the love of her life, but his family was just plain strange.

However, the sight that greeted her when she opened the door wiped away all thoughts of Cadmus' family. Cadmus was kissing Mariah Reynolds, with as much passion or more as he'd ever kissed her. She spent a second just blankly staring at him and then she walked across the room and slapped him full on the face. He stared at her, utterly surprised by her actions and then gestured to the other girl to leave the room. She looked at the pair of them guiltily and then ran out of the room and down the stairs. "Miranda, darling, you still love me, don't you?", he asked in his usual charming fashion. She looked at him, words of agreement ready to spring from her tongue and her body ready to fall into his arms, but suddenly her forehead burned, and she felt her desire for Cadmus lessen. "No", she said, almost hesitantly, as she looked at him. "No?", he repeated incredulously. "No", she shot back, more confidently this time," After what you have done, who would? I'm going home to my father and telling him that the engagement is off."

Cadmus stared at her disbelievingly, and then desperately as he realized that she was serious. Cadmus pulled out a slender piece of wood from his pocket, immaculately polished, pointed it at her, and said a strange word in a language she didn't recognize. Immediately she felt dreamy and heard Cadmus' voice in her head. "Pretend like nothing's wrong", it commanded, "Don't speak of this to anyone." Miranda nodded her head dreamily and walked down the stairs as one in a dream.

Although her movements and facial expressions remained calm, a furious battle was going on inside Miranda's head between the bespelled willingness to acquiesce to his commands and her own rebellious spirit. As she passed Ignotus on the way out, their eyes met and her mind broke through the effects of the Imperius curse and the remainder of the bespelled love she had for him and she was herself again.

Miranda realized that the only thing she could do to remain herself was to escape this town of Little Bartholdsby and seek her fortune on the other side of the river. She ran to the bank, gathered all her courage, and stepped into the small, splintery, rowboat. Wincing as the cold water splashed over the side of the boat and onto her best dress that she had put on for Cadmus' visit, Miranda pushed off. The river was violent and the rushing waves battered her boat this way and that until the boat was overturned. Her dress spread out around her, keeping her afloat long enough to say a final goodbye to the world before the waves took her too.

Under the water, everything suddenly seemed to calm. Miranda opened her eyes and looked at her own body from outside it and then at the figures hovering in the water beside her, a tall skeletal man, his face hidden by a robe, his hand outstretched, and a woman with pointed teeth and shifting markings across her body. Realizing what had happened, she put her hand into the skeletal hand of Death and departed this world.


	4. Chapter 4

**Hi, and thanks to everyone who has followed and reviewed. You guys are super awesome and supportive and really helped me feel welcome to the site. Sorry about the slightly emotionally scarring last chapter... yeah... Oh, random contest-ish. I will follow anyone who can correctly guess where I got Miranda's name from. Again, thanks to everyone and if you have a suggestion or, point-of-view you want to see, please review or PM. Enjoy!**

Chapter 4 Antioch

It was early the next day when Cadmus burst through the door of the Peverell cottage. Antioch had given up long ago on forcing Ignotus to go to school, and Cadmus, who usually took on that duty, was too distracted by the events of last night to bother. Antioch was sitting on the floor looking sullen as sparks shot out of his wand, seemingly without him doing anything to cause it. He was disturbed by last night as well. It was one thing to test the Imperius curse on one another for research, an entire other thing to see someone placed under the influence of its spell.

However, what could he do? Antioch knew that he couldn't tell anyone, even if the town believed him, all three brothers would most likely be burnt at the stake for witchcraft. There was nothing he could do, no way to stop what Cadmus did to his fiancee. But still, remembering the blank look in her eyes as she walked out of the house that night…. No, it wasn't a blank look. She was fighting the curse and losing. Behind the blankness there was a look of utter terror as she realized that her life wasn't her own to control anymore.

And he, Antioch Peverell, the person who got into more fights than anyone else, including the town's criminals, couldn't stand up to his own brother. Suddenly, a chilling thought occurred to him, what if Miranda's blind devotion to Cadmus hadn't just been luck or his own personal worth? Could Cadmus have bewitched her to love him? No, he thought, that couldn't be right. My brother would never do something like that. However, doubts, behaving as doubts do, crept into his mind. She had seemed to have fallen in love with him very suddenly, and without any known cause to. He was far below her station financially, yet her parents didn't resist their engagement at all.

Antioch sat there and thought about this. He remembered his childhood, growing up only with his brothers, working just to put food on the table. Well, he worked. Ignotus was too withdrawn for a job and Cadmus had to watch over him and teach him magic. One day, he had come home crying because he had dropped the expensive pot he was supposed to be selling and his boss hadn't given him any pay. "How are we going to get food?", he had complained to Cadmus, hating himself for his errors. Cadmus had turned to him, told him to watch Ignotus, and walked out into the rain. Antioch and Ignotus had waited by the door for him to come back, and when he did, he had brought three loaves of bread back home. "How did you get those?", Antioch had asked, wide eyed. Cadmus had smiled, made a motion with his hand as if he were using a hand, and said simply, "Accio bread." "But that's stealing", protested Antioch. Cadmus' smile slid from his face. He bent down next to his brother and looked into his eyes. "I will always do what it takes for us to survive. Always."

And it was with the memory of his brother's words to him that rang through his head when that self-same brother burst through the door. "We have to leave. Now! Hurry! Where's Ignotus?", shouted Cadmus. As long as he could remember, Antioch had never seen his brother lose control, until now that is. "What's going on?", he asked his brother. "She's dead. She was trying to get across the river and she drowned.", Cadmus shouted desperately,"We have to get out of here before the town figures out we were the last ones to see her." A cold dread fell over Antioch. Miranda, the girl who had been kind to him before kindness was lost in her desire for Cadmus, the girl who he had planned to take along as children when they knew they had to leave, the girl he watched walk out last night trapped in a dream of Cadmus' creation, dead. A girl he had loved, before he realized that dream was impossible, was dead. Miranda was dead and by his own brother's hand.

He joined his other brothers as they ran down to the river in silence. Cadmus was desperately running, whether from the town or from himself and his part in Miranda's death, no one could tell. Antioch was dragged along behind him, in a state of shock, his face almost as blank as Miranda's had been the previous night. Ignotus kept pace, still lost in his own world, but the look on his face was sad, as he remembered her and her strong spirit that had almost overthrown the curse by itself. What that spirit might have accomplished had its casing not been so mortal haunted him.

Finally when they came to the river and saw the little boat in the water, the same boat that had led so many to their watery graves, the Peverell brothers realized there was no turning back. Cadmus' face was grim as he stepped into the boat and Antioch hesitantly followed. "Wait", Ignotus said. He spoke so rarely that even in these circumstances, the other brothers gave him their full attention. " Can't we build a bridge?"

This spell was one of the most difficult and required a sacrifice for the wizards participating. However, as Antioch reflected later, they really had no choice. The Peverells chanted together and as the bridge rose across the uncrossable river, their wands burst into flames as all the magic in them was channeled into one last desperate spell.


	5. Chapter 5

**Yay, the bridge scene! Enjoy, and thanks again to everyone who reads this. You guys are awesome!**

Chapter 5 The Brothers Three

The three brothers took hands as they walked across the bridge they had created. Their wands, tied to their magic, were ashes on the ground. Feeling a irreplaceable loss, the brothers looked back at the town, tears streaming down their faces as they realized that whatever happened next nothing would ever be the same.

Antioch

He looked around and saw a black-robed skeletal figure staring back at him. "Am I dead?", he asked, barely caring what the answer was. As far as he was concerned, he didn't deserve to live. He couldn't save Miranda, couldn't stand up to Cadmus, couldn't even get his own brother to talk to him. And now, magicless, powerless, and hopeless, how could things get any worse?

"No", Death replied, "In fact, I would like to congratulate you on your astonishing magical prowess and courage in performing that spell. It is not often I am beaten, but when I am, I admit it.I will be the gracious loser and grant you anything you desire." Antioch spoke first. "I want a wand that can defeat any other in a duel." So that I will never be powerless again, and that what happened with Miranda will never happen again. Death handed him a wand of elder, and Antioch felt magi rush back into his body.

However, this felt different than his own familiar magic that he had used since childhood. The magic of Death's wand flowed through him and changed him. He was filled with a strange confidence that he had never had before. He felt unbeatable and looked back at the town with disdain. He thought of Miranda, but only to wonder why he had ever been attracted to someone so weak. Antioch finally looked back at his brothers and saw them as they truly were. Ignotus was a pathetic weakling, and Cadmus, a silver-tongued fool. All of them were weak. Only he was strong. He took one contemptuous look back at his old life and strode confidently over the bridge.

Cadmus

"I want a stone that can bring back the dead." Maybe, he thought wildly, he could make things right, give his brothers the life they deserve, undo his terrible mistake. Death handed over a polished black stone, that fit neatly in Cadmus' palm. The stone seemed to radiate cold and Cadmus shivered. Something rose up from the stone. It was the ghost of their mother who had died so many years ago. "Cadmus," she breathed, "My son." "Mother," said Cadmus, his own voice echoing strangely in his ears. It couldn't be. She had died having Ignotus and his father had been claimed by the river soon after. He had buried both of them, he would never forget that. "You've grown so big", she said lovingly, "Did my child survive?" "Yes", Ignotus said from behind Cadmus, his face shining with tears, "Yes, I did."

Seeing the love that she held for Ignotus, just made him remember Miranda. She would never have children, and it was his fault. He clasped the stone tight in his hands and wept for her and everyone he had lost. "Cadmus, what's wrong?", asked their mother. Cadmus threw the stone as far away from himself as he could and ran as fast as he could to escape what he had become.

Ignotus

It was a trap, he was sure of it. Death wouldn't just give the people that had escaped him gifts. However, if he refused a gift, something even worse could happen. "I want an Invisibility Cloak that can hide me from even Death", he answered at last. That way, he could vanish from people and their expectations and just live in a fantastical world of his own creation. Death looked angry, before handing him his own Invisibility Cloak. Ignotus wrapped it around himself and disappeared into thin air.

Death

Still, he mused, as the third Peverell brother crossed the bridge, two out of three isn't that bad.


	6. Chapter 6

**Hi to everyone who continues to read this fic! Today we return to Death and Ascella, plotting revenge on the Peverell's. Sorry, this might be the last update for at least a week as I'm going on vacation and will not have access to a computer.**

Chapter 6 Ascella

"I'm impressed, darling,", Ascella said as she walked into Death's chambers. "Really?", asked the skeletal figure amusedly. Ascella pretended to consider it for a second. "No", she said mockingly, "Your perfect little world is gone, the people that you have watched for years will now disperse into the world, and what do you do to those responsible?" "You give them their heart's desires", continued Ascella, "So sweet. You could have killed all three of them right there, but no, instead you reward them." Death looked at her, "No need to worry on my account, dearest Ascella. I will be avenged and it is far more satisfying to watch them destroy themselves. With a little help from you, of course."

She looked at him, amused, "And what makes you think you can order me around, like your little errand? I'm not normally one to follow instructions, even from you, my lord Death." "Simple", Death laughed. "I know you Ascella. I know your true name, and I know that you will never pass up the chance to use your unique talents to ruin someone's life. I know you, Ascella, or should I say Kaos?" Ascella smiled her sharp-toothed smile to hear her true name spoken. It gave her a thrill when it was said by mortals, a reminder of her true dark self. And when he said, well, that was a whole different story. His voice whispering her name, reminded her of all those times, Death and Kaos across the millennia, punishing the foolish mortals who underestimated them.

"Oh my love, you know me too well", she teased, "I'll do anything for a chance to cause trouble. Where do I start?" Death considered it for a second, "Start with the girl", he decided, "I'm sure she'll want revenge on her fiance." Ascella laughed cynically, "You know, there are some times I think that you are almost as bad as me." "Well, here's your chance to prove me wrong", Death, " You know always love watching you work." "I wish I could say the same, but your job…", she snapped her fingers, "over too quickly. I prefer watching the process. Showing the transients the deepest depths of their soul, ruining them, watching their little carefully ordered lives fall apart. And then you always come in and break my toys before I'm done playing with them", she pouted. "Sorry about that", Death shrugged, "Just goes with the job." "Well, I'll go find the girl. See you later tonight my lord." And with that, she vanished, her tattoos hanging in the air for just a brief instant after her body disappeared, before vanishing into smoke.

Ascella drifted through the vast sea of souls, searching for one particular one. Most of the shades had long since learned to avoid her, as she was merciless to those who got in her way, and they parted before her as she moved through the crowd, her eyes watchfully scanning around like a hunter searching for prey.

Finally, she looked around and saw a particular shade of a woman, one with dark red, almost brown hair still damp from the river, and a dress in a particularly vivid shade of cobalt clinging to her skin. "Got you" Ascella muttered to herself as she took Miranda's soul from the afterlife back to her own palace.

Miranda's eyes widened in fear. Ascella noticed and smiled, bringing her pointed teeth into full prominence. She loved that look of fear in their eyes. Even after centuries of seeing it, that beautiful look of sheer terror never lost its power over her. "Why are you so afraid, little one?", Ascella asked as she moved closer to Miranda, " You're dead already. I can't kill you or harm you, so why do you shake like a leaf in the breeze?" "There's always something more that can hurt you", Miranda said bitterly, "I learned that from the one I loved." "Ah, the charming Cadmus", Ascella murmured, "Let's talk about him." "He cast a spell on me that night", said Miranda, "I've figured that one out already." "Oh yes, he certainly did. But that's not all." Ascella explained exactly how their love had started, The stars didn't align, it wasn't fate, it was Cadmus brewing up a love potion to win her over. She told Miranda how he had bespelled her parents to agree to the marriage. Ascella sat there watching Miranda's eyes fill with horror at her words and she felt more alive than she had in centuries. "And do you know the worst part about the whole affair?", Ascella said mock-sympathetically, putting an arm around Miranda's shoulder, "He didn't even do it because he loved you. He just wanted the money and influence that you had." Miranda looked the demon full in the eyes for the first time and Ascella was startled by the fiery look of hatred in the girl's eyes. However, she quickly recovered her usual poise.

"You can get revenge," she said the the other girl, the offer tantalizingly hanging in the air. "I will make him pay for what he's done", Miranda said, the hatred in her eyes becoming even more noticeable in her voice. "Wonderful", Ascella said, and lazily waved a hand. Miranda vanished back into the world of the living. Ascella began to laugh, " Oh, darling, you were right," she said to her absent lover, "This is going to be fun."

 **Hope you enjoyed! For those wondering, Ascella knows about the underworld while Death doesn't because he is bound by his duties, and she is literally the personification of Chaos and can do pretty much whatever she wants to.**


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